


shoulders back

by ACatWhoWrites



Series: A Prompt a Day in the Month of May [7]
Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Anxiety, F/M, Microfic, Rule 63, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 21:03:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14577600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACatWhoWrites/pseuds/ACatWhoWrites
Summary: It's hard to be confident when there's nothing to be confident about.





	shoulders back

It's not too late, after dinner but not if-I-don't-go-to-bed-now-there's-no-point-later, and someone knocks at the door to the Kim-Byun-Park apartment.

Baekhee hollers from the back of their apartment to get the door, and Chanmi rolls off her bed with a groan. “And _why_ can't Junghae get it? Heaven forbid her 'me time' is spoiled.” Junghae goes through phases of extreme extroversion followed by deep, deep introversion and introspection, spent most often in bed with noise-canceling headphones and plans of dropping out of school and marrying a lonely, rich man, killing him, and living the secluded life of a wealthy widow. Baekhee has popped plenty of holes in the idea, namely young wealthy widows, even without a figure like Junghae's, are always pursued by charities and men.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to Chanmi, who just wants to spend her down time reading or re-reading her favorite manga and not be disturbed by Baekhee's Boyfriend of the Week.

She's a Good Person™, though, and knows that Baekhee spends so much time on her hair and makeup to not only impress the world but also prepare herself to face the world. She's someone who feels stronger with her war paint, and Chanmi can respect that while also believing it's too much work. She's thought about putting more effort into her appearance before, but it probably wouldn't help her a whole lot. At six feet tall, she didn't develop like the average pretty girl, so she never does anything more than brush and maybe braid her hair, if she's feeling ambitious.

"I'm coming!" she calls to the front door. 

The door handle is cool in her hand, but it quickly heats up when she sees who's on the other side of the door. Even the distorted fisheye of the peephole can't hide Jongin's handsome face and only exaggerates his hot athlete's body.

_Oh my God. Oh my God…_

"Chanmi!" Baekhee hisses, glaring around the bathroom door with one eye perfectly lined. The duality of woman, Chanmi thinks. Puppy and bitch. " _Open the fucking door!_ "

Handsome men make her nervous. Pretty girls make her nervous. People in general make her nervous, but the more attractive they are, the more nervous she is, and Jongin is _Attractive_. Capital A. Junghae seems to be the only one unaffected, but she is happily in a relationship and wears blinders to anyone else's beauty except Jooyeon's.

Chanmi whimpers a prayer that she won't melt into the floor and unlocks the door. “Hello...”

“Hi, noona.” Jongin smiles, and Chanmi's ears erupt in a deep blush.

“Baek's almost ready. You can wait inside.” She manages to not stub her toe with the door but has nothing to hide behind once it's closed.

Should she say something? Small talk is hard. She has simple interests: manga, anime, rugby, dogs, and Rilakkuma.

“I like your pajamas.”

“Huh?” Oh, no. He's said something. Chanmi looks down at herself, having completely forgotten she'd practically torn her jeans and bra off the moment she got home and grabbed a hoodie and old shorts with a faded print of her favorite lazy bear. “They're from high school and used to be pants, but I outgrew them, so I cut them to become shorts.”

He's still looking at her, smiling. He shouldn't do that. It stresses her out.

“I-I've got something I was doing. Have fun tonight.” She makes her hasty escape to the nearest room—Junghae's—and hides beneath the blankets. Junghae scoots over to make room and lets her hide.

Baekhee finally makes her appearance, accepting Jongin's compliment about how _”gorgeous”_ she looks with a flirty, confident, “I know, but thank you.”

Chanmi could never be like that, but it doesn't matter. No one ever compliments her looks, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to try a prompt a day in May, not following any list. This came from **confidence**.


End file.
